Mayor admits she has no clue about BBMP budget

BENGALURU: The ‘Pink Budget’ certainly had more to it than pink ends on the booklet. For instance, two women oversaw the exercise. For the second time in BBMP’s history, a woman, SP Hemalatha, presented the budget in a house that is helmed by another woman, mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun. More than 50% of the members of the council too are women.
But when Gangambike was asked about the five major schemes in the budget, she fumbled for words. After flipping through the pages of the budget booklet, Gangambike spoke a few basic points which were nothing but homilies.

Speaking to TOI later, the mayor said, “I had very little idea about the budget, I got to know about it only after I stepped into the office. Considering this is my first stint as mayor, I needed a little more guidance, but my officers failed to help me.”

Gangambike asserted that it is a woman-oriented budget. “We have prepared the budget keeping the development of women in mind,” she said. “There are five major development works for this year which includes installation of air purifiers, pink babies scheme, development of 110 villages and construction of four graveyards on the outskirts.”